


Double the Giggles, Double the Trouble

by themacerlife



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Betty and Jughead are married, Cheryl Blossom & Betty Cooper Friendship, Cheryl Blossom Needs a Hug, Cheryl and Toni are married, Domestic Fluff, Established Cheryl Blossom/Toni Topaz, F/F, Family Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Good Significant Other Toni Topaz, Lawyer Cheryl Blossom, Lesbian Cheryl Blossom, POV Toni Topaz, Photojournalist Toni Topaz, Polly Cooper is a bad mother, Protective Cheryl Blossom, Protective Toni Topaz, Soft Toni Topaz
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-19
Updated: 2019-09-19
Packaged: 2020-10-24 08:30:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20702990
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/themacerlife/pseuds/themacerlife
Summary: Cheryl and Toni Blossom adore their niece and nephew. As the twins grow older and Polly's unfit motherhood worsens, the Blossoms are willing to do anything they can to protect Juniper and Dagwood. Betty, Jughead and the twins' teacher, Kevin Keller, are along for the ride!





	1. Chapter 1

Rays of morning sunshine were just beginning to peak through the curtains of Cheryl Blossom’s bedroom as the redheaded lawyer slept soundly, covered by warm blankets and the even warmer body of her photojournalist wife (and Serpent Queen), Toni Topaz.

Both were exhausted after a long week of work and Serpent quarrels and, luckily, it was a Saturday and neither woman had to set an alarm. In her sleep, Cheryl shifted closer to Toni and the shorter woman subconsciously tightened her grip on Cheryl’s waist.

Their picture perfect morning was interrupted, however, by a whispered conversation, “Aunt Cherry? Are you awake?”

“Are they still sleeping?”

“I think so.”

“Can we wake them up? I’m hungry.”

“Me too… will they be mad?”

“They never are! Come on!”

Suddenly, Cheryl and Toni were startled awake by two bodies landing on them and the raucous laughter of two six-year-olds filled their spacious bedroom.

“Aunt Cherry!”

“Kiki! Get up!”

“We are absolutely starving!”

“It’s morning time!”

Cheryl chuckled and stretched while avoiding flying arms and legs as Toni groaned beside her, “What did I tell you two about waking us up?”

The two small bodies suddenly stilled and Cheryl pried one eye open to see the redheaded children glance at each other and back to her wife before three devious grins appeared and she was suddenly tackled with tickles and kisses.

“Ahh! What is going on?!”

The smaller of the two, Juniper Blossom, squealed, “Kiki says the only thing that can wake you up is the tickle monster!”

Cheryl desperately fought off her attackers and managed to wrangle Juniper, and her twin brother Dagwood, into her arms. She raised an eyebrow at her wife who was gathering her light pink hair into a bun and positively beaming on the other side of the bed.

“You know, Kiki has had a bad habit of making up stories lately. Did you two know she doesn’t actually have pink hair?”

Dagwood gasped, “She doesn’t? But she said a fairy gave it to her when she fought the ogre to save you!”

Cheryl shrugged as Toni gaped at her. “She lied. _I _saved her from an evil witch and took some of the witch’s power. I turned her hair pink so the witch would never find her again.”

Toni crossed her arms with a scowl, “That is so _not_ what happened.”

Juniper looked up at Cheryl from her seat in Cheryl’s lap, “So you don’t like morning tickles?”

Cheryl kissed Juniper’s head and said, “I adore morning _cuddles_.”

Toni rolled her eyes playfully and collapsed back onto the bed with a yawn as Dagwood tugged on Cheryl’s sleep shirt and pulled her ear to his mouth to whisper something.

Cheryl nodded eagerly at the boy and passed the message on to Juniper.

“I can hear you three masterminding over there and whatever you’re planning, you better stop.”

Suddenly, Dagwood stood over Toni and cried out in the deepest voice he could manage, “Kiki Blossom, by order of the king, you have to be punished for your crime of lying about Aunt Cherry!”

Juniper joined in, “Your punishment is a pillow fight!”

And the two attacked, crushing Toni with pillows and their bodies as Cheryl used that moment to slip out of bed with a laugh.

Toni cried out, “Cher! Help! I need backup!” as Juniper and Dagwood laughed and shrieked.

Cheryl shrugged and grabbed her silk robe, “My apologies, TT, but I have to get breakfast started.”

But as she watched her wife be smothered by a set of energetic twins in pajamas, Cheryl took pity and clapped her hands. “Alright! Any Blossom who wants chocolate chips in their pancakes should come with me now!”

Dagwood stopped his assault immediately and looked up at his aunt, leaping off the bed and into her arms, wrapping his legs around her waist and his arms around her neck.

“Can we have bacon too?”

Cheryl pressed a few kisses to his cheeks as she headed for the door and promised the growing boy he would get all the bacon he wanted. She threw a wink in Toni’s direction and left the bedroom as Toni gathered Juniper in her arms and headed into the bathroom to ensure the often forgetful girl brushed her teeth.

Eventually, the two joined Cheryl and Dagwood in the kitchen and while the twins set the table, Toni wrapped her arms around Cheryl’s waist and pressed a kiss to her shoulder.

“Good morning, baby.”

“Morning, mon amour. Think you can take over pancake duty while I start our tea?”

“Anything for you, Mrs. Blossom.”

Cheryl rolled her eyes with a soft smile and turned in Toni’s arms, “We’ve been married for five years. Haven’t you gotten your fill of that name calling? I much prefer your other pet names.”

Toni tugged lightly to pull Cheryl closer and ran her hands up and down Cheryl’s back. “It would seem I cannot get enough of you or our shared last name.”

Cheryl hummed as she leaned down to press her lips against Toni’s but she got to enjoy her wife’s affections for only a few moments before the twins began arguing over who got the last glass of milk.

With a teasing pat to her wife’s bum, Toni nudged her towards the children, muttering something similar to “it’s your turn to deal with that.” Cheryl unwound herself from the Serpent’s arms to promise Dagwood that if he allowed his sister to have the milk this time, he could have extra bacon.

The Blossoms’ weekend was filled with day trips and movie nights, with a few hours dedicated to homework and reading. The school year was coming to an end and the twins were restless but Cheryl refused to allow their academics to slip.

As Sunday evening rolled around, the normally boisterous and jovial atmosphere of her home was quickly turning into one of dread and frustration. In just over an hour, the twins would be picked up by their mother and Cheryl and Toni would have to wait until the following weekend to see their niece and nephew again.

The fear they felt went when they had to hand the children over went far beyond what would be considered typical for extended family members. After all, Polly Cooper was not the picture-perfect mother she pretended to be… 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cheryl Blossom did not officially meet her niece and nephew until they were almost a year old. Her brother, Jason, had died in a car accident when his fiancé, Polly Cooper, was only a few months pregnant. After the initial mourning periods, Polly had decided it was best for her and the twins to live and remain secluded on some cult-like campground until she had fully healed and her offspring were strong enough to fight various diseases.

Having done all she could to come to terms with her brother’s death, Cheryl felt stronger than ever- especially with the constant love and support of her fiancé, Toni Topaz. When Polly _finally _returned to Riverdale, it only took a moment for Juniper and Dagwood Blossom to steal Cheryl’s heart. They were so small and looked so much like Jason that Cheryl knew she would do absolutely anything for them for as long as she lived.

The next few years were filled with graduations and decisions to attend law school at the closest university so she could remain near the twins. She did not want to miss a single moment of their growing.

Unfortunately, their only surviving parent made that quite difficult for the Blossom heir. It started when Cheryl began questioning Polly's mothering. Could anyone blame her? Polly refused to get them on a feeding schedule. She would fall asleep on the couch before the twins would get tucked in to their cribs. She would wait to change their diapers until they both needed it.

These small decisions began to wear away at Cheryl, who wanted nothing but the best for her family. So, she started taking the now toddlers for the night. At first, Polly had no problems giving her children to their aunt- after all, a free night provided plenty of opportunity for some kid-free fun. During these treasured nights together, the twins grew incredibly fond of their aunts.

When Cheryl and Toni got married, Juniper and Dagwood were the flower girl and ringbearer, acting on their best behavior in their fancy outfits.

With each year that passed, however, Polly's mental health deteriorated and her care for the twins did too. Simultaneously, Cheryl's love for June (or Junebug, used typically when the shy girl was especially needy), and Jase (derived from the boy's middle name, Jason, and used exclusively by Cheryl), grew every single day and the twins absolutely adored their ‘Aunt Cherry’.

The name started as the twins learned to talk and discovered that the color red applied both to their favorite fruit and their favorite aunt. 'Cheryl' was also a challenge for the young siblings to pronounce. Toni was referred to as ‘Kiki,’ which stemmed from one of Cheryl’s affectionate nicknames for her wife.

As the twins grew, their distrust and fear of their mother became more and more apparent. When Polly would arrive at the Blossom house to gather her children, their reactions told more than their limited vocabulary ever could.

While they were learning to walk and run as toddlers, they would use their new skills to run and hide in their bedroom. When they learned to talk in full sentences, they would beg Cheryl and Toni not to open the door when Polly knocked. If Polly ran late, as she often did, and showed up late at night, Cheryl and Toni would carry two sleeping children to the car. Placing them in their car seats would often wake them and they would desperately reach out for their aunts, refusing to let go until their little hands were pried away.

It absolutely broke Cheryl’s heart to have to hand the twins over but Polly was their _mother_. Cousin Betty often spent time at Polly’s house to help with the twins and assured Cheryl and Toni that she never saw Polly lay a hand on her kids. The worst she could report was an occasional spanking and, well, Dagwood had pushed his sister off the bed.

For the time being, Polly, Betty, and teachers labeled the twins as “too attached” or “needy” or “going through a phase.”

But Cheryl _knew_ something was happening. She could see a familiar look in the twins’ eyes, one she had seen in her reflection as a child. Toni was suspicious too, but did her best to reassure Cheryl that the kids would be alright, that they could call them whenever to check in.

Juniper and Dagwood were now six, and their love of Cheryl and Toni was evident and Polly Cooper was falling deeper into a downward spiral.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Juniper, Dagwood, can you come here, please?”

The redheaded twins put down their workbooks and moved to stand by their teacher’s desk. Kevin Keller smiled at them and said quietly, “Your mother just called. Aunt Toni will be picking you up from school today, okay? You should look for her.”

“Yes!”

“Woohoo!”

Kevin cleared his throat and gave the twins a stern look for interrupting the calm atmosphere in the classroom and the twins offered sheepish looks in return.

“Sorry, Mr. Keller.”

Their teacher smiled and winked, “That’s alright. Get back to work, okay? You don’t want to have any worksheets left if you get to spend the afternoon with Aunt Toni, right?”

The twins nodded and rushed back to their seats, scribbling away at their spelling sheets.

When Toni hopped out of her car in the middle of the chaos of a school parking lot, she was intercepted by Kevin before she was able to find her niece and nephew.

“Hey, Kev. Did you learn anything at school today?”

Kevin rolled his eyes at Toni’s cheeky tone and held his nametag up for her see. “I’m a _teacher_, Toni! I do the _teaching_!”

Toni crossed her arms with a smirk, “My question still stands.”

Kevin sighed, “Unbelievable.”

“Kiki!”

“Kiki, look!”

Two four-foot-high bodies collided with Toni and she grunted with the effort required to stay upright as the twins began rambling and grabbing on to her legs and leather jacket.

Kevin laughed as the twins showed off their aunt to him for the hundredth time but there was something lingering in his eyes and Toni knew what that meant.

“Hey, you two, listen, can you go hop in the car? We’re going to surprise Aunt Cherry at work and I need you two to come up a master plan on we do it, alright?”

Dagwood quickly took off but Juniper lingered, holding tightly to Toni’s hands.

The Serpent knelt down and smiled at the small girl, “I’ll be right, there, Junie. I promise. Keep your brother out of trouble, okay?”

With a kiss to her cheek, Juniper was hurrying to the car and Toni stood to face Kevin.

“Did something happen?”

“I’m not sure… Dagwood had an outburst at recess. He screamed at a classmate and was seconds away from punching someone before the recess monitor stepped in. I don’t know if it’s connected to what happened with her brother but Juniper spent art class in tears, terrified to even touch a paintbrush.”

Toni groaned and ran a hand through her hair as Kevin gently squeezed her shoulder. “They will be alright for the rest of the week if they stay with you and Cheryl for the night. They always are.”

“They need stability, Kev.”

The tall man offered a sympathetic smile, “That they do. If I know Cheryl Blossom, however, I know she has something up her sleeve.”

Toni chuckled, “You’re probably right. I need to go but can I ask you one thing?”

“Always.”

“Did you notice any marks on them? Bruises or cuts or anything?”

Kevin pursed his lips and glanced around the parking lot, “I don’t spend much time with the students one-on-one so I haven’t, but I can do some digging. I’ll keep my out, Toni, and if anything comes up, I’ll let you know. I promise.”

Toni nodded, “Thank you, Kevin. We’ll see you soon!”

The twins had gotten distracted on their way to Cheryl’s office, thus, their master plan became nothing more than their usual method of bursting through the door so loud, it scared their aunt anyway.

Cheryl was definitely surprised and welcomed the hugs and kisses as she looked to Toni for an explanation.

Her wife only shrugged, “We had no plans tonight and I figured it would be a nice change to the mid-week slump.”

Juniper climbed into Cheryl’s lap and Dagwood began digging in his backpack for his favorite action figure and Cheryl mouthed a “thank you,” to Toni who winked and took a seat on the other side of Cheryl’s desk.

Toni was no stranger to the bouts of nerves and stress that would plague her wife either from work or missing the twins, or both. Polly was more than willing to hand them off when Toni had called that morning and the genuine smile on Cheryl’s face was worth putting off the pile of work on her own desk.

That evening, as Toni worked on dinner, Cheryl sat with Juniper and Dagwood at the table, trying her best to get them to focus on their homework.

“Jase, please, you only have a few left. You can play until dinner when you’re done.”

“But it’s _hard_, Aunt Cherry! I don’t know how to do this!”

Cheryl ran a hand through his red hair and did her best to reassure him. Even though he pouted and slumped in his chair, Dagwood got back to work.

Juniper, however, was presenting an even bigger challenge: she wouldn’t open her eyes.

“Hey, my little Junebug, how are you going to finish your homework with your eyes closed?”

“I don’t know.”

“What will Mr. Keller say if you don’t finish this?”

“I don’t know.”

Cheryl looked to Toni who only chuckled and shook her head.

The oldest redhead scowled at her wife and leaned over to whisper in Juniper’s ear, “I think Kiki is making ice cream sundaes for dinner.”

Juniper’s eyes shot open and she turned in her chair to look towards the kitchen but Toni held up the box of pasta and shrugged, “Sorry, Junie. No ice cream here.”

The small girl turned back to Cheryl who chuckled, “Gotcha! Now that all of our eyes are open, let’s do some work, yeah?”

“Can we have ice cream for dessert?”

“No, not tonight.”

The twins whined and Cheryl quickly shushed them, “Kiki told me about what Mr. Keller said. You, young man, are in big trouble for what you did. We do not yell at others and we definitely do not hit our friends!”

Dagwood tried to argue back but quickly grew frustrated and fumbled over his words. He buried his head in his arms and it only took a few moments for the distinct sounds of a child’s cries to reach both women.

Toni wiped her hands on a towel and hurried over as Cheryl pulled Dagwood into her lap and rubbed his back, trying to get the boy to calm down.

“Jase, sweetheart, it’s okay.”

As the boy cried, Toni and Cheryl shared a quick glance before turning their attention to Juniper, as the twins were notorious for having meltdowns at the same time.

Sure enough, her bottom lip began to quiver and Toni jumped into action, pulling her into her arms and sitting back down at the table.

While Toni tried to get Juniper to stop with her “crocodile tears,” Cheryl murmured to Dagwood, “Do you think you could talk to me, Jase? Can you tell Aunt Cherry what’s going on?”

The boy hesitated but sat up in Cheryl’s lap, rubbing at the tears streaming down his cheeks. He hiccupped a few times and Cheryl smiled softly, helping him clean his face with her thumbs.

“The other boys were being mean to me!”

“What did they say to you, sweetheart? Did they hurt you?”

“No… they were being mean because June and I can’t go on the field trip tomorrow!”

Cheryl’s eyebrows crinkled as she looked to Toni. Juniper was sniffling quietly in her wife’s embrace and the Serpent seemed just as confused.

“What field trip, Jase?”

“To the museum! The whole class is going but mommy ripped up the papers we needed to go.”

Tears started to spill from Dagwood’s big brown eyes and Juniper added, “She said we take all of her money.”

Cheryl sighed, “I’m going to give mommy a call and talk about the field trip, okay? But even if that is true, we do not scream at our friends and we do not hit them, right? You don’t like when people scream at you, do you?”

Dagwood slowly shook his head and Cheryl kissed his forehead, “Exactly. Next time someone is mean to you, tell Mr. Keller, alright? That goes for the both of you.”

Toni brushed Juniper’s hair from her face and glanced at Cheryl before adding, “June? Why were you crying in art class today? That’s your favorite time of the day!”

Juniper fidgeted with the sleeves of her sweater and shrugged. Her brother, however, sat up straighter and explained, “Mommy yelled at us last night because we wanted to paint Mr. Keller a picture. She said we are not allowed to make messes and art is a mess. I tried to help Junie but the teacher said I had to stay in my seat.”

Cheryl had to smile softly at her nephew. He had always been so protective of his sister. His story only added another notch against Polly Cooper and Cheryl swallowed down her anger.

“Junebug, listen to me. Art was my favorite class in school too. Okay? There is nothing wrong with enjoying painting and drawing. When you’re at school, you are allowed to participate. At home, however, if mommy doesn’t want you to make a mess, you need to listen to her. Alright?”

Juniper nodded and Cheryl smiled, “Now, let’s finish these worksheets because I am starving! TT, may I have a word in the kitchen, please?”

The two women placed the children back in their seats and shuffled into the kitchen where they were able to talk quietly and not have eavesdroppers.

“Toni…”

“Oh, no, Cher. No, I know what you’re going to say but I have to put my foot down. The last time we signed for a field trip, Polly didn’t let us see them for almost a month! I can’t let that happen.”

Cheryl huffed as Toni moved to continue cooking dinner. “We can’t let them miss out on a class trip simply because their mother is erratic! Please, TT, I’ll call Kevin and explain what happened. Hell, I’ll even call the principal if I have to!”

Toni chewed on her bottom lip as she glanced from her wife’s determined stare and over her shoulder at the twins who were giggling at something Juniper was doing.

“Ugh, fine, you do what you want but do _not_ put my name on anything.”

Cheryl positively beamed as she reached out to cup Toni’s flawless face and pull her in for a quick kiss.

“Thank you, TT. Oh, and by the way, your name will be involved, _Mrs_. _Blossom_.”

With a wink, Cheryl was practically skipping back over to the dining room table to tell the twins the good news and Toni shook her head. Her wife was irresistible. But she was also playing a dangerous game. Memories of the nights Cheryl spent pacing around and snapping at any little thing due to the stress of not knowing if Juniper and Dagwood were safe flooded her mind.

All because Polly Cooper was living her life to make all of the Blossoms miserable.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------

While Cheryl did manage to pull some strings (and write a check) that allowed the twins to go on their class trip, it had its side effects.

For example, Toni and Cheryl did not get to hear about their adventure because Polly picked them up from school and ignored any phone calls that she received.

That also meant neither woman was on pickup duty for the rest of the week and their typical weekend sleepover didn’t happen because no one answered the door when Cheryl arrived at the Cooper house on Friday afternoon.

Toni did her best to distract Cheryl but it was hard to do so when she was also feeling anxious.

On Saturday evening, Cheryl was sipping on a glass of wine in the backyard as Toni finished mowing the lawn. Watching her wife do yard work in a tank top was one of Cheryl’s favorite pastimes and she blew a kiss at the Serpent every time she glanced her way.

Once finished, Toni made her way over and wiped her forehead with her old flannel that had was tied around her belt loop.

“I’m so ready for summer to be over.”

“Babe, it hasn’t even technically started yet!”

“Yeah but once the kids are out of school, we can head to the lake house where it is guaranteed to be at least 10 degrees cooler.”

Cheryl placed her wine glass on the table beside her and hummed, “That’s true, my love. Summer is always something to look forward to: We spend our days with a lakeside breeze, we can sleep in late and I get to watch you strut around in a bikini.”

Toni smirked as she leaned over, placing a hand on either armrest, locking Cheryl in. “If you’re lucky, I’ll forego the bikini once in a while.”

She tried to kiss the redhead but her lips met the soft skin of Cheryl’s cheek instead.

“Now, now, T. No kisses for you until you shower. Dinner is in the oven and while be done in 20 minutes.”

Toni huffed, “Fine. But once I’m clean, your ass is mine, Bombshell.”

“Do not forget we are to make an appearance at the Whyte Wyrm tonight. The gang is missing their queen!”

With a two-finger salute, Toni was off towards the house.

As she heard the back door click shut, Cheryl picked up one of her cases and began reading. She only got a few pages in when her phone rang.

“Cousin Betty. To what do I owe this pleasure?”

“Cheryl, hey, are you busy?”

“Other than a few cases to catch up on for work, I am a free bird. What’s going on?”

“Jughead and I stopped at Pop’s for something to eat before the party tonight and we found Juniper and Dagwood here alone.”

Cheryl’s stomach dropped and she adjusted her grip on her cellphone. “Where is Polly?”

She heard some muffled voices before Betty’s harried voice came through, “I’m not sure. I tried calling her but she isn’t answering. They said she dropped them off and ran out to the car to get her wallet but never came back. Pop said they have been sitting here for almost an hour.”

As Betty was explaining the situation, Cheryl was gathering her belongings and heading into the house.

Her blonde cousin continued, “I want to go find Polly but I don’t want them to be with me in case things get ugly.”

Cheryl hissed, “I’m going to wring her neck! Tell the twins I’m on my way.”

After hanging up, Cheryl turned off the oven and rushed towards the stairs, almost knocking Toni over in the process.

“Whoa, baby, where’s the fire?”

Cheryl growled, “At Pop’s,” and continued up the stairs.

Toni turned and followed, “Wait, really?”

“No, Toni, but that’s where June and Jase are because their mother _abandoned_ them!”

“Hang on, Cher. What are you talking about?”

Cheryl paused in the middle of putting on her shoes and her expression was one of pain and fear. “Please, Toni, I’ll explain on the way but we need to go.”

They made it to the diner in record time and Toni jogged behind Cheryl as they hurried inside. The place was busy and Cheryl had to step around a few patrons before she arrived at the only booth with two redheaded children.

“Aunt Cherry! What are you doing here?” Juniper climbed over Betty and stood on the seat with her arms out, allowing Cheryl to pull her into her arms and onto her hip.

“Hey, Junebug. We couldn’t let you two have a delicious dinner without us!”

Toni reached over Jughead to ruffle Dagwood’s hair but the small boy didn’t look up, only kept pushing some of his fries around.

Jughead sighed and looked up at Toni with a shrug, “He is upset because I drank my milkshake faster than him.”

Betty stood and adjusted her sweater, “Juniper, can you sit back down and finish eating? I need to talk to Aunt Cheryl.”

Toni stepped in, “Come here, June. Let’s see who can eat more fries. You or Jughead.”

The little girl happily wrapped her arms around Toni’s neck as Cheryl transferred her over and stepped away from the booth with Betty following close behind.

“I want to come with you, Betty.”

“No, Cheryl, please let me handle my sister. She could be volatile right now.”

“She abandoned _my_ niece and nephew like yesterday’s garbage! I would like to give her a piece of mind.”

Betty sighed, “Cheryl, if you get too close or say something she doesn’t like, Polly will never let you see them ever again. You know that.”

With that reminder, Cheryl’s shoulders fell and she glanced over at her family. Juniper was stealing fries from Jughead as Dagwood tried but failed to hide his smile at something ridiculous Toni was rambling about.

“Your sister needs help, Betty. She should not be allowed to care for them.”

“I know, Cheryl. Trust me, I’ve spent more evenings at their place than with Jughead because I’m terrified that something might happen. But you’re a lawyer. You know we can’t do anything about this until we have proof that she is doing something horrible.”

Cheryl groaned, “They never want to go home, they were left in a public place alone, they aren’t allowed to go on class trips!”

“They absolutely adore you. Why would they want to leave you? And the field trip thing was a parenting choice that we have no say in. You know that. Until we know where she is now, we have nothing. Please, Cheryl. Take them for the rest of the weekend. I’ll deal with Polly. When I find her, I’ll call and if she doesn’t have a bullet proof alibi, I’ll let you drag her away in cuffs. Alright?”

“Alright, I’ll allow you to play Nancy Drew but we are following you to their house first. Drew needs his blanket and Juniper is in a ‘the only shampoo I can use has a mermaid on it’ phase.”

Betty chuckled, “I’ve been a detective for years, Cheryl. You can’t keep calling me ‘Nancy Drew.’”

Cheryl grinned, “All in due time, Cousin.”

That night, the twins were in the bath when Betty called saying she found Polly, conveniently outside of a bar on the edge of town. She claimed she did go out to the car to get her wallet when some masked man stole it and she chased him down, getting lost in the woods. Without her phone, she had no way of finding her way back or calling Pop’s. As to her final location, she claims she stumbled upon it and was waiting for a cab to come pick her up.

None of it made any sense and Cheryl grew agitated on the phone but Betty was adamant there wasn’t much she could do. The only thing Polly was truly guilty of was poor judgement.

Cheryl calmed herself down just enough to get the twins into their pajamas and into bed. As she pulled the blankets over Dagwood, he grabbed her fingers and gently scratched the back of her hand- something he did when he was scared or nervous.

“What is it, Jase? Are you feeling alright?”

“What if Mommy comes to get us tonight?”

Cheryl pursed her lips and sat down on the edge of the bed. She brushed her fingers through his damp hair and smiled softly, “She isn’t going to, sweetheart. She knows you are sleeping over tonight and tomorrow night. Unless… you want to go home?”

Dagwood’s eyes grew wide and his grip on her hand tightened. “No! Please, Aunt Cherry!”

“Hey, shh, it’s okay. You don’t have to.” She kissed his head and brushed her fingertips over his cheeks.

He settled but was still far from falling asleep. “Jase? Is there something you want to tell me? You know you can tell me and Kiki anything.”

“It’s just… Mommy was acting weird today. She kept walking into things and she called Junie my name.”

Suddenly, Cheryl’s distrust and hatred of Polly Cooper came roaring back but she smiled at her nephew and adjusted the blankets.

“Thank you for telling me, Jase. Mommy might be getting sick but I’m going to call her now and check in on her, alright? Now, close your eyes and get some sleep. Kiki said she had some adventures planned for us tomorrow.”

After she kissed an already sleeping Juniper, Cheryl gently shut their door and made her way downstairs to Toni. Her wife was lounging on the couch with a bowl of popcorn and a stunning smile. Cheryl all but collapsed into Toni’s waiting arms and grabbed her phone.

“Who are you calling, babe?”

But the line picked up before she could answer: “Cousin Betty, how long do the results of a toxicology report take to get back?”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Whatever was in Polly’s system was unidentifiable by the experts Betty was in contact with and when she asked Polly about it, the older Cooper said it was an all-natural supplement that a friend had recommended. It was her first day taking it so she had no idea what the side effects would be, and Cheryl was back to square one.

When someone knocked on their door on Monday night, Toni answered.

“Polly. What are you doing here?”

“I’m here to tell you and your _wife_ to stop putting ideas in my children’s heads.”

“What are you talking about? Who is watching them now? Or did you forget them at another restaurant in town?”

Polly stepped forward but Toni refused to back down. “It’s none of your business who is watching them. Just like it is none of your business what I do in my own home. My children are fed, clean and they get to school on time.”

Toni snorted, “Mother of the year, I’m sure.”

“Look, I don’t care how many nights they spend with you two. Those brats are exhausting! But if they come back to me one more time screaming for help or complaining that I’m a bad mother, I will _never _let you see them again. Got it, Serpent slut? Or should I write it down for you?”

“What did you just call me?!”

Cheryl rushed over and pulled Toni away, wrapping her arms around her wife’s chest. She faced Polly with an angry scowl and hissed, “Get off of our property, Cooper. Or I will not hesitate to release Toni and allow her to remove you personally.”

Polly scoffed and crossed her arms, making it quite obvious she had no intention of listening to her cousin.

She watched Cheryl whisper something in Toni’s ear and the Serpent smirked as she reached into her boot and pulled out a piece of metal. With one flick of her wrist, the sharp blade was revealed and Polly’s eyebrows shot up.

She cleared her throat and shrugged, “Whatever. I’m leaving but I mean it. If either of those terrors speak badly about me again, I will not hesitate to leave town and never come back. And yes, I would bring them with me.”

Polly turned on her heel and stalked down the driveway and Toni relaxed in Cheryl’s hold.

“You should have let me at her. She deserves a little wake up call.”

Cheryl kissed Toni’s temple and sighed, “It would not have helped anything. But I think we need to have a talk with our niece and nephew.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next time Cheryl and Toni had the twins, they made sure the children understood that even though Polly wasn’t always the best mother, or even if they preferred being with Cheryl and Toni, they still needed to be polite. Throwing tantrums and being mean was not going to help anyone.

It became harder to follow their own words as Cheryl and Toni received updates from Betty. Whatever odd substance Polly was using was altering her personality and her ability to recognize reality. But the oldest Cooper refused to stop taking the supplement.

Cheryl had received a call twice during the week from Juniper and Dagwood because Polly had fallen asleep before they were put to bed and they were unable to wake her.

The first time it happened, Cheryl had called Betty because she lived just down the street from the twins. The second time, however, she rushed over and understood why the twins were scared.

Polly was breathing but was in such a deep sleep, Cheryl struggled to wake her. When she did rouse, it was with a start.

“What’s going on?!”

Cheryl gripped the collar of her shirt and pulled the blonde woman closer. “I’m here to put _your_ children to bed. I get one more call from them this late at night and I will _end _you.”

She shoved Polly back into the couch and hurried upstairs to get the twins to sleep.

The following day, Cheryl was at work when her boss knocked on her office door.

“Got a minute?”

“Of course. Come in.”

She was handed a file and upon flipping it open, her heart stopped.

“A restraining order?!”

“From your cousin. It applies to her and her children after an ‘aggravated assault’ in their home last night?”

Cheryl fell back into her seat, shocked and terrified, and said, “I was waking her from a drug-induced stupor! I did not assault her.”

Her boss shrugged, “You know how this works. Nothing you say matters until the investigation begins. Want to take the rest of the day off? I know this is hard for you.”

“No, no. I suddenly have too much work to do.”


	2. Chapter 2

Toni was at the Whyte Wyrm when Cheryl called to tell her about the restraining order.

“Babe, please, I’m alright. Come home when you’re finished. I’m simply reacquainting myself with the laws and codes for family court.”

“Cher, I don’t want to go home. I want to bring the whole Serpent gang to that bitch’s house and positively terrify her until she gives us full custody of the twins! How can she do this?!”

Just as everything clicked in Cheryl’s mind, she heard glass shattering on Toni’s end of the phone and gasped, “Toni! Did you just break something?”

Toni sighed and grabbed a towel, carefully picking up the pieces of glass that now littered the floor behind the bar.

“Yeah, and it fell really damn good. I’m pissed, baby.”

“Me too, my love. But you just gave me the most wonderful idea! Give Sweet Pea and Fangs kisses for me, please. I’ll see you when you get home.”

“Alright… I love you.”

Cheryl cooed, “I love you too. Oh, and Toni?”

“Yeah, Cher?”

“Please do not cause any more damage at the Wyrm. I’d prefer if you saved that pent-up energy for… other activities.”

Toni laughed even if she felt flutter in her belly.

“I won’t, I promise. And you better be wearing nothing but red silk when I do get home.”

“You’ll have to wait and see if I feel like listening tonight. Au revoir, mon amour.”

“Bye, Cher.”

As Toni slipped her phone in her pocket and grabbed a broom to sweep up the rest of her mess, her long-time best friends came barreling over.

“Tiny! Was that Red? Where has she been lately? I feel like we never see her.”

Sweet Pea, the taller of the two, slid onto one of the barstools and Toni sighed, “She’s got a lot going on right now, Sweets.”

Fangs, the other lifelong Serpent, raised his eyebrows at the broken glass Toni was dumping into the trash. “Did you do that?”

“Yeah… we got some not-so-great news today and I, I couldn’t help it. I’m so tried of fighting Polly Cooper. And if she does one more thing that causes Cheryl pain, I’m going to rip her blonde head off her body.”

Sweet Pea whistled, “Damn, what did she do this time?”

“She filed a restraining order against us! Is she actually insane? Because I’m having a hard time believing anything else! Cheryl does more for those children in the few days she sees them than Polly has done since they were born!”

Fangs held his hands up and offered softly, “Toni, take a few deep breaths, alright? No one here is going to disagree with you.”

Sweet Pea nodded, “We can always use the old school method. I’d love to watch Cooper put up a fight after we show her what the Serpents are capable of.”

“I would happily participate in that. We need to protect our future Serpents.”

Toni chuckled, “Future Serpents?”

The boys shrugged and Fangs explained, “They have Blossom blood and basically your children. Therefore, they are legacy and will take over someday.”

Toni scoffed, “Good luck getting Cheryl to let that happen. She loves the Serpents but she also thinks those two are going to be world leaders and cure cancer.”

Sweet Pea laughed, “I have no doubt they will do _both_ of those things!”

Toni shook her head and slipped her jacket on over her tank top, “Listen, I’ve thought about it using the Serpents, but I have a feeling that would backfire horribly. Can you two just gather everyone up for now? I want to get this meeting over and done with so I can go home. My wife is waiting.”

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After Polly’s abrupt legal motion, Cheryl spent most of her free time immersed in the paperwork and research needed to enact her plan. She tried her best to put on a strong front throughout the day, but Toni saw the effects of the separation in the evenings and late at night. Cheryl was either incredibly distant or unusually needy. Sometimes, she cried softly as they lay in bed or she would lash out and have to compose herself before apologizing and collapsing in Toni’s arms.

With each passing day, their home grew quieter and both women felt a pain in their chests from missing their babies.

Another Saturday arrived and Cheryl was in her home office, scanning an old law textbook when Toni sauntered in and gently nudged her way into her wife’s space, straddling Cheryl’s lap and placing her butt smack in the middle of said textbook.

Cheryl huffed, “Toni, I was reading! Please, I’m in the zone.”

Toni chuckled and reached down to grasp Cheryl’s chin and tilt her flawless face up for a sweet kiss.

“You’re always in the zone. I’m heading to the Southside. Come with me, please? Everyone misses you.”

Cheryl bit her bottom lip and rubbed her hands against the denim on Toni’s thighs.

“I don’t know, babe… I really need to do this now so I don’t fall behind at work.”

Toni sighed and decided she would have to pull out an old trick.

She _pouted_.

“But Cher, I don’t want to have to deal with the Serpents all by myself… I need my beautiful and badass wife to help me knock some idiots around.”

Cheryl’s jaw dropped and she squeezed Toni’s hips.

“Antoinette Blossom! Are you _pouting_?!”

“No…”

“You so are. How dare you stoop so low!”

Toni climbed off Cheryl’s lap with a dramatic sigh and began sulking towards the door. “Okay, okay. I know you don’t want to. I guess I’ll go now… love you.”

Cheryl rolled her eyes at her wife’s antics and watched as she slowly shut the door, peeking in every few seconds to see if Cheryl was following.

Once the door clicked shut, Cheryl muttered, “Stupid Topaz pout…” and quickly placed her book down, rushing to the door.

“Toni! Let me just grab my shoes!”

But as she yanked the door open, she came face-to-face with her wife and the infamous Topaz _smirk_.

Cheryl crossed her arms with a dangerous smile stretching across her own lips.

“You little brat.”

Toni shrugged, “You love me.”

“That remains to be seen, my dear.”

Toni gasped as Cheryl began walking down the hall but she reacted quickly and launched herself at Cheryl’s retreating form, wrapping her arms and legs around Cheryl’s torso.

Luckily, the redhead exercised regularly (and was also expecting some form of retaliation) and easily caught her wife’s body.

“Come, TT, we do not want to keep the Southside Serpents waiting.”

Toni rested her chin on Cheryl’s shoulder and grumbled, “Say’s the woman who needs to now spend 20 minutes putting her lipstick on…”

Needless to say, it took quite a while for the teasing pair to finally arrive in the Southside, where Serpents were mingling about and taking care of their small yards. The only grocery store was packed, and the rusty park was covered in children. It was a beautiful Saturday.

Cheryl stood dutifully by Toni’s side as they were greeted by friends and gang members. Eventually they sought out Sweet Pea and Fangs and were directed to the playground.

Toni was suddenly stopped in her tracks by Cheryl who gripped her arm.

“Toni? How many redheaded Serpents are there?”

“Besides you? None. Why?”

“Because there are two ginger babies tackling Sweet Pea to the ground right now.”

Toni frowned as she followed Cheryl’s gaze and when she saw said children, she gasped, “Cher, is that…?”

“Yes!”

Cheryl took off towards the playground, calling out Juniper and Dagwood’s names.

Toni cursed under her breath and hurried after her, watching as the twins looked up and screamed, running into Cheryl’s open arms. When Toni reached them, they almost tackled her to the ground too and Toni had to laugh.

Cheryl picked Juniper up and Dagwood latched onto Toni’s leg as Sweet Pea jogged over and pulled a few pieces of mulch out of his thick hair.

“Hello Blossoms. Fancy seeing you two around here.”

Toni glared at the tall man and gently raked her fingers through Dagwood’s hair.

“Sweet Pea, would you care to explain why you have a couple of Blossom children with you on the Southside?”

“Betty and Jughead brought them. They asked if we could keep them busy while they helped F.P. with something at his trailer. I’m just doing my duty.”

Fangs chose that moment to appear with a few sandwiches in his hands.

“Hey, Boss and Mrs. Boss. Mind if take these two for lunch? I made sure there wasn’t any mayonnaise on Juniper’s and Dag’s has extra cheese.”

Cheryl and Toni hardly had a moment to nod before Sweet Pea wrapped his arm around Dagwood’s waist, easily tossing the boy over his shoulder and Fangs held out his bent elbow to Juniper.

“M’lady. May I?”

Juniper giggled and latched onto Fangs’ arm, swinging from it as he carried her towards the picnic table Sweet Pea and Dagwood had claimed.

Toni reached for Cheryl’s hand, “Cher? What the hell is going on?”

“I have no idea, TT. I think we need to find my cousin.”

“Is being around them right now illegal?”

Cheryl bristled, “Unfortunately, yes. Come on.”

They found Betty and Jughead stepping out of a trailer and Cheryl took a stance so like one she would have used in high school.

“Betty, Hobo. Why are my niece and nephew milling with Serpents and requesting their own black leather jackets?”

Toni slipped her hand under the fabric of Cheryl’s sweater, gently scratching the warm skin on her back. Either to keep Cheryl calm or seek comfort for whatever Betty might reveal, Toni wasn’t sure.

But then Jughead and Betty _smiled_.

“We’re glad you found them! That was the plan.”

“What plan? Coming in contact with them could have serious legal ramifications! You two, of all people, should understand that.”

Betty sighed, “We know, Cheryl, but Polly gave us the twins today and we had to stop by anyway. We figured this was the best way for you to see them because Polly would never come here and no Serpent would say anything to the police. We talked to the twins this morning and swore them to secrecy. If they slip, we’ll all deny it and blame their imaginations.”

Toni could see the battle raging inside of her wife. Wanting to do things the right way versus spending time with Juniper and Dagwood…

“Cher, baby, whatever you want to do, I’ll support you. We can leave if you want to…”

“I just… can we stay just to eat lunch? I just want to make sure they are alright.”

Toni pulled Cheryl into her arms and kissed her temple, “Of course we can.”

Cheryl pressed her forehead to Toni’s, taking a moment to gather herself before she brushed their noses together and turned to Betty.

“Cousin Betty, I want to seek your approval on something.”

Betty raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms, “Cheryl, if you plan on doing anything illegal, I cannot know about it.”

“Technically, you are the one that has done something illegal. And what I have planned will be entirely by the books. It will be signed by a judge, in fact.”

“Go on…” Betty pressed.

Cheryl took a deep breath and turned to look at Toni as she murmured, “I want to adopt the twins.”

It was as if Toni’s whole world came to a sudden stop. Was Cheryl thinking straight? Of course not, she was gay after all, but she was a lawyer so maybe she was…

“What? Really? How? I mean…”

Toni stuttered over her words and Betty’s jaw had yet to shut.

Cheryl tangled her fingers in the leather of Toni’s jacket as she looked back and forth between her wife and her cousin.

“Polly is not a fit mother. We all know that. Toni and I can provide a home for them, a stable one. We can provide for them for the rest of their lives. And they would not have to change schools or leave their friends. We could arrange for supervised visits with Polly and we can make sure they see you, Betty, all the time.”

“Whoa, Cheryl, hold on. How the hell are you going to adopt them? Polly hasn’t even considered signing away her parental rights. She’s crazy but she’s not trying to get rid of them.”

Jughead had a point but Toni recognized the look in her wife’s brown eyes.

“I am going to fight her until the very end for this. That is, if you will fight with me, Toni.”

Cheryl’s gaze found hers and Toni cupped Cheryl’s face, brushing her thumbs over her cheeks, as if she could brush away the fear she knew Cheryl was feeling.

“No matter what, Cher, I’m by your side. I’ve wanted those rascals to be _ours_ since day one.”

Jughead sighed and wrapped his arm around Betty’s shoulders. “Betts, you alright?”

Cheryl quickly turned to Betty and quickly reached out for her cousin’s arm. “Betty, I will only do this with your blessing. They are your blood too.”

Betty rubbed her temples for a moment, obviously overwhelmed. Toni could empathize- this whole situation was draining.

“I love my sister, but I have no problem admitting she is unfit to be a mother. I want them to be safe. Who better to do that than a Southside Serpent and Riverdale’s toughest district attorney?”

“Hey, I’m a Serpent too!” Jughead exclaimed and Betty smiled teasingly.

“You are, Jug, but if all goes according to plan, we won’t have room for the twins soon.”

Cheryl gasped, “Please do not tell me you are planning to reproduce with Hobo genes, Betty Cooper!”

Jughead rolled his eyes and Betty blushed, “We’ve started trying… No signs yet but we’re hopeful.”

Toni gasped, “That’s amazing, Betty! Don’t mess this up, Jones.”

Jughead had a complete scowl on his face now and Betty kissed his cheek before grasping Cheryl and Toni’s hands.

“I will do whatever I can to try and make this adoption happen. All I ask for is a weekend here or there.”

Cheryl actually _squealed_ and wrapped her arms around Betty as Toni playfully shoved Jughead, trying to get him to smile.

From down the path, they could hear the twins screaming (probably running from any number of Serpents in a large game of tag) and Toni began to wonder how strong their case would be if they had gangsters on the stand to testify…

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Adjusting her blazer with a frustrated huff, Toni took a moment to scope out the suits and briefcases of Riverdale’s massive courthouse. She was uncomfortable, not just because she had to replace her leather jacket with a heavy blazer, but because her wife was on the verge of losing it.

After Polly had discovered their plan to adopt the twins, she lost it. No one, not even Betty, has been allowed to see the twins and Polly had started threatening to leave the state.

With the restraining order and adoption filings, they had no choice but to bring it all to court and figure it out. Cheryl wanted to represent herself, obviously as no one else was competent enough, but the judge denied it due to her personal involvement with the case.

Toni was grateful for that, but they went through three lawyers before Josie McCoy returned to Riverdale for a brief visit and mentioned her mother’s desire to return to the courtroom. 

Cheryl has been an absolute mess, studying and working to the point of delirium and Toni had spent more nights than not waking up alone and having to search for her wife in their home, dragging her to bed and wiping away her exhausted tears.

They missed the twins terribly, and they recognized time was of the essence: school was ending in a few days, allowing Polly plenty of time to disappear forever.

When Sierra McCoy mentioned placing the twins in temporary foster care, Cheryl and Betty had immediately denied that request. They wanted the twins to be in a familiar place, with as little knowledge of what was occurring as possible.

So here she was, waiting for Cheryl to arrive from her office so they could begin this whole ordeal and, hopefully, leave with permanent parental rights to Juniper and Dagwood Blossom.

After rolling her eyes at the third old white man who had to glance at her twice, Toni finally saw her wife’s red hair and even with the stress of the whole situation, she took a moment to admire how stunning Cheryl Blossom was in her dark red Stilettos and matching lipstick.

Betty and Jughead were with her, as well as Kevin, Fangs and Sweet Pea.

While everyone gathered outside the courtroom doors, Cheryl kept walking until she reached Toni. The dark circles under her eyes were hidden by makeup and her shaking hands still once they were tangles with Toni’s fingers.

With a reassuring kiss to her lips, Toni whispered, “Chin up, baby. Look at our gang. We aren’t walking in or out of here alone today.”

They were a family and they were going to do this together.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------

“I would like to call Polly Cooper to the stand, your Honor.”

Once the blonde woman was settled, Sierra McCoy began her questioning.

“Miss Cooper, what are your children’s names?”

“Juniper Alice and Dagwood Jason Blossom.”

“And when are their birthdays?”

“November 12th. They are six-years-old.”

Sierra offered a smile, “Thank you Miss Cooper. Now, could you explain to the judge why you placed a restraining order on Mrs. and Mrs. Blossom?”

“I was physically assaulted in my own home by Cheryl Blossom. I feared for mine, and my children’s safety.”

“Did you have any injuries? Did you call the police after the incident occurred?”

“No, I had to make sure my children were put to bed on time. And I had no injuries. She was smart and knew how not to leave marks.”

As Polly continued to lie through her teeth, Toni placed her hand on Cheryl’s knee, squeezing softly to try and keep her calm.

Eventually, Sierra began to question Polly’s motherhood.

“Miss Cooper, do either of your children have any allergies?”

“No. They are perfectly healthy.”

“Really? Because Dagwood’s medical records show he has tested positive for being allergic to bee stings and pollen.”

Polly smiled, “Oh, my apologies. I thought you meant to food, specifically.”

Sierra smiled in return, “I see. And could you explain to me why Juniper had to see the pediatrician three times when she was four-years-old over the course of six weeks?”

“Uh, she had a sore throat that was very stubborn.”

“You must be thinking of a different time, Miss Cooper, because I am speaking about the time your daughter contracted whooping cough. Here, I’ll move on. Motherhood can be overwhelming. I’m sure you remember that. Why don’t we talk about some logistics? Your children are almost finished with another school year. What date do they start in the fall?”

“I’m not sure.”

“And when they start second grade, who will be their teacher?”

“Um, I think it’s a woman.”

“What is Dagwood’s favorite subject?”

“Math?”

“And Juniper?”

“History.”

Sierra pretended to be surprised, “Miss Cooper, children in this school district do not start history lessons until third grade.”

“Right, I meant social studies in general.”

“Of course you did… Miss Cooper, what do you and your children do on the weekends?”

“I send them outside to play for most of the day.”

“And do they get along?”

“They fight often. They’re siblings, after all. I often have to separate them but I’m assuming this is just a phase.”

Sierra paced a few steps before glancing at the judge and back to Polly.

“Children do, indeed, go through phases. Now, the thirteen phone calls and four written letters that have been sent to you from your children’s school… are those part of this phase?”

Polly’s lawyer called an objection but the judge overruled it and encouraged Polly to respond.

“Most of those were misunderstandings. Juniper and Dagwood just have a lot of energy.”

“Four of the calls were made because one of your children fell asleep in class.”

Polly shrugged, “They were sick.”

“Three of the calls were because one of your children became verbally or physically aggressive with a peer.”

“I’m still teaching them about that…”

But Sierra continued, “The letters written were seeking parent-teacher conferences which you never responded to. The rest of the calls were because your children did not have lunches, jackets or- am I reading this correctly, Miss Cooper? Juniper was sent to school without shoes?”

Sierra’s questioning had an effect on Polly, who cried out, “You try parenting twins! It’s impossible! They never listen!”

Taking a small step back at the outburst, Sierra smirked, “No further questions, your Honor.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Polly had stuttered through most of her testimony, but she put on a fabulous show of how much she loves her children and wants to be a better mother.

When it was Cheryl’s turn, Sierra McCoy had the same questioning method.

“Mrs. Blossom, do you know when Juniper and Dagwood begin school in the fall?”

“September 3rd. They will have a half day and then begin full-time that next Monday.”

“And their teacher will be?”

“Mrs. Eck.”

“What are the twins’ favorite subjects?”

“Juniper absolutely adores art and Dagwood will spend hours talking about recess but he puts up the lesser fight when it comes to any homework with reading involved.”

Polly’s lawyer interjected just then, “Objection, your Honor. Mrs. Blossom has already heard these questions and may have had time to prepare her answers.”

The judge sighed, “Sustained. Please, Ms. McCoy, let’s get a little more original with the questions.”

Sierra offered a sweet smile before turning back to Cheryl.

“Mrs. Blossom, when Juniper and Dagwood stay with you, what do you do with them?”

“It depends. If we have them for a weekend, my wife and I will take them on trips to the zoo, parks, museums… whatever we feel like doing together. If it is during the week, we focus on homework and unwinding after a long school day.”

“Thank you. Now, when you have the twins, do they ever tell you anything about their mother that could be defined as concerning or worrisome?”

“It comes in waves, but they have mentioned their mother’s lack of interest in them and their lives. They ask for help, she refuses. They say they had a bad day at school, she has no care. They have had to find their own food for meals, worn dirty clothes to school and have to put themselves to bed some nights.”

Sierra nodded, “Obviously, this is all hearsay. We would have to hear these things from the twins themselves but when you hear similar stories, how does it make you feel, Mrs. Blossom?”

Cheryl took a moment to gather herself. She looked to Toni who offered an encouraging smile and she turned to face the judge.

“I fear for my niece and nephew. I worry about their safety and their most basic needs not being met. What if Polly forgets to lock the door at night and something happens? What if Polly leaves them alone? They are only six-years-old! I love those two with my whole being, your Honor. I would die for them and all I want is to give them stability, a home. I want to be the one getting those letters from school and cooking suppers for them. Along with my wife, we would give Juniper and Dagwood everything in the world, whatever makes them happy.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------

The judge decided he was going to take the weekend to make his decision. The restraining order was still in place, and on Monday morning, Juniper and Dagwood were going to leave the courthouse with either Polly or Cheryl.

Unfortunately, the twins were deemed too young to make a statement on who they would prefer to live with, something Toni had grumbled about to anyone who would listen.

Cheryl had made it out of the courtroom without shedding any tears, but the moment they were in the safety of her office, she broke down. Toni held her and whispered to her, reassuring her that they did absolutely everything that they could.

Toni, along with their friends, had given statements and testimonies on Polly’s shortcomings and Cheryl and Toni’s abilities to care and provide for the twins.

“You did so good, baby. There is no way the judge can so no to you. Anyone can see how much you love them. And Sierra tore Polly apart. The only thing her lawyer has on us is a dig at the Serpents and the lack of penises in our home. We’ve got this, Cher. We do.”

“I want to believe you, Toni… I do but Polly has one glaring advantage. She gave _birth_ to them. That is something neither of us will ever be able to replace.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next few days passed quietly, albeit a little anxiously.

As the weekend neared, Toni was grateful for a few days off to head up to the lake house with Cheryl and get it ready for the summer. If they did receive custody of the twins, that was the first place Toni said she was going to take her family. They needed some time away, together.

She began dicing vegetables for dinner when her phone rang.

Without looking at the caller, she answered, “Hello, this is Toni.”

“Kiki!”

Toni almost dropped her phone.

“Dag? Is that you?”

“Yes! We stole Mommy’s phone while she was in the shower.”

She heard Juniper in the background, “I want to talk to her!”

There was some rustling before Juniper’s sweet voice flowed through her phone, “Kiki, did you and Aunt Cherry forget about us? We miss you.”

“Oh, Junie, we haven’t forgotten about you. I promise. We love you very much. Are you two alright?”

While the twins began rambling over each other, Toni called out for Cheryl and tried to get a word in.

“Hey, little goblins, listen to Kiki. I’m so glad you are doing your homework. That’s very important.”

Cheryl strolled into the kitchen and Toni gasped, “Cher! It’s the twins.”

She held her phone out to the redhead who rushed over and cried, “Jase? Junebug? Is that you?”

Toni could hear the twins yelling through the phone and her chest ached as she watched Cheryl wipe away silent tears while laughing at whatever the children were so excited about.

“I miss you two, more than anything. Aunt Cherry loves you so much. So does Kiki.”

Toni mouthed to her wife, “Put it on speaker.”

Cheryl did and they managed a few more moments with the twins before their stomachs dropped.

Polly’s voice grew louder in the background as she yelled, “Who are you talking to?! Give me that! What did I say about talking to them?! You two are in big trouble!”

The twins were silent and Cheryl hissed, “Listen to me, you wretched mother, if you lay a hand on them…”

But Polly cut her off with a laugh. “You’ll what? You can’t do shit to me, Blossom, or your case goes right out the window and you will never see the brats again. I will punish them however I want to. Do not call back.”

Before the line went dead, they heard one of the twins scream and suddenly, both women were running out the door, already calling Betty.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Betty, Cheryl and Toni stormed into Polly’s house and found the woman lounging on the couch, watching television.

Cheryl charged forward with a perfectly manicured finger pointed right between Polly’s eyes.

“What did you do to them? Where are they?”

Polly rolled her eyes, “It’s none of your concern. If you will get your asses out of my house now, I have to call my lawyer about a certain restraining order that has been broken.”

Betty stepped forward and sighed, “Polly, don’t. At this point, it doesn’t matter. The judge has probably already made his decision. We are just here to make sure the twins are alright.”

“They are fine! Get out of my house! And God help me, you will _never _get my children! A Blossom born in a line of psychos, married to piece of Southside trash… my children deserve better than that!”

Toni, who had tried to remain quiet and allow Cheryl to fight for her family because her wife was more than capable, suddenly stepped forward. She squeezed Cheryl’s fingers then released them to stride across the room, grab Polly’s t-shirt and press her into the closest wall.

“I am so sick of your stubborn and selfish ways! Your idiocrasy and pettiness has put your children in danger! _You _have harmed them! And do not even try to deny it because I have seen the marks on their bodies, I have held them while they cry because they have to come back here. You are supposed to be their mother. Your job is to _protect _them. I have stayed silent through this because this is Cheryl’s family, those are her _brother’s_ children, but my job is to protect _her_. I have watched her tear herself apart when she has to send them home and I have held her when she cries! Because of you and what you do to those innocent and beautiful children!”

Polly flinched when Toni reached into her boot and Cheryl knew what that meant, “Toni…”

Betty also reached out, as if she was going to grab the pocketknife from Toni.

However, the Serpent pulled out a folded piece of paper. She shoved it into Polly’s hands and took a step back.

“Do something right, for once, and give those children a loving home where Cheryl will care for them until her dying day and I will have Serpents posted at our door at all hours making sure you never lay your hands on them again.”

Polly looked ready to cry as she unfolded the paper, which Cheryl assumed was a copy of one of the legal documents, but she felt no sympathy for her cousin.

Suddenly, Toni was back in Polly’s space and the older Cooper girl’s eyes widened in fear.

No one else could hear what Toni whispered but based on the way the blood drained from Polly’s face, Cheryl knew it was a threat Toni once used, long ago, in her prime gang days.

This time, Toni stepped away and turned on her heel, giving Betty a short nod and stopping once her arm was wrapped tightly around Cheryl’s waist.

Betty reached out for her sister but Polly stormed upstairs, not without a nasty glare for Cheryl and Toni.

The Serpent held her wife back from chasing after Polly and Toni silently pleaded with Betty to follow her sister, worried about what Polly might do in her angered state.

Their blonde friend hurried upstairs and Toni felt her grasp on Cheryl slip just a little bit.

Cheryl had tears in her eyes, and she pleaded with Toni, “Please, let me go! I could give a shit about a restraining order. She is going to hurt them!”

It broke Toni’s heart to watch Cheryl cry but she knew the farther the redhead went into the house the worse it would get.

“Shh, Cher. It’s going to be alright.”

Usually, Cheryl would put up a fight. However, she was so tired of fighting, of crying, and Toni was there to catch her, as always, when Cheryl all but collapsed in her embrace, burying her face in Toni’s shoulder.

Toni wanted to take Cheryl home and wrap her up and cuddle her until the sun came up the following day.

This whole ordeal was so messed up and it only reopened the wound of Jason’s death over and over. If he was alive, this would all be so easy.

The two heard some banging upstairs and Toni held Cheryl tighter, whispering in her ear to try and block out the sounds.

Cheryl whimpered, “Can we go home, please?”

Toni sighed, “Of course. Let’s just wait for Betty, okay? Then we know June and Dag are alright.”

The redhead nodded and moved her arms so they wrapped around Toni’s waist, under her Serpent jacket, trying to find comfort from the warmth Toni provided.

Suddenly, a door banged shut and there were multiple sets of footsteps coming from upstairs. Cheryl separated herself from Toni, almost into a battle stance and the two watched Polly drag the twins down the stairs by their collars of their shirts. Their little legs could hardly keep up and Betty was hurrying down after them, calling out Polly’s name and trying to hold onto two overstuffed backpacks.

When they reached the landing, Cheryl surged forward and slapped Polly’s hands away, pulling the twins into her arms. They wrapped their arms around Cheryl’s waist and Toni felt her anger come surging back, noticing the red marks on their necks from where the fabric was pulled too tight.

Cheryl beat her to it and hissed, “If you think you can lay your hands on them in front of me and get away with it, then you are an absolute invalid!”

Polly rolled her eyes and grabbed the bags from Betty, tossing them to Toni.

“You want the brats so bad? Take them! I’ll save money from having to pay the lawyer if I lose, anyway. Here.” She held out the piece of paper Toni had presented earlier and Cheryl released her hold on Dagwood to take it and read it.

She gasped and her watery eyes met Toni’s. “The custody agreement?”

Polly huffed, “Your Serpent whore convinced me to sign it.”

Toni ignored the dig and moved closer to Cheryl, checking the signature for herself. She bent down and picked up the twins’ bags, moving in front of her family. Cheryl knelt down to be at eye level with Juniper and Dagwood, kissing their foreheads and checking for any injuries.

“We are going to present this to our lawyer then set up a time to pick up the rest of their belongings.”

Polly scowled, “Better send a moving company because I never want to see them again.”

Cheryl shot up and opened her mouth to tear Polly to shreds, no doubt, but Betty moved forward and interrupted her cousin.

“Okay, Polly, that’s enough. You all should go, now. I’ll have Polly’s lawyer contact yours tomorrow.”

Toni agreed, “That’s a good idea. Text us if you need anything, Betty.”

The younger blonde nodded and Toni slung a strap of each backpack over her shoulders, turning to open her arms for the twins who both smiled and leapt into her arms.

Cheryl gently took Juniper from Toni’s grasp and the small girl curled into Cheryl’s embrace, wrapping her legs around her waist and resting her head on Cheryl’s shoulder. Dagwood wiggled out of Toni’s grasp so his feet were on the ground, but immediately reached for Toni’s hand and pulled her to the door.

No one said anything until they were outside and the front door was closed. Only then did Dagwood squeal in utter excitement and Cheryl _laughed_, tickling Juniper’s tummy and encouraging the scared girl to loosen her grip on her neck.

Toni knelt down to look at Dagwood, then glanced back up at Cheryl and Juniper and she beamed, “Let’s go home.”

The small family cheered and rushed down the short path to their car. Once the two children were buckled in, Cheryl shut the door and made her way over to Toni.

She had a look on her face that Toni had been missing- one of joy, love, and affection.

“Antoinette Topaz, you are the most amazing woman I have ever encountered.”

Toni smirked and used the pockets of Cheryl’s jacket to pull her close. “Yeah? Tell me more about me.”

Cheryl rolled her eyes and wrapped her arms around Toni’s shoulders, “Maybe later… when we are alone once more. For now, I will say two things. I love you and I thank you.”

“I will do anything for you, and now, I will do anything for them. Forever, Cher.” She watched Cheryl blink back tears once more and Toni smiled, “I love you too, by the way.”

Cheryl pressed her red lips to Toni’s in a sweet kiss and Toni reveled in the feeling of her wife’s affections, until a knocking on the car window broke them apart.

They found two goofy faces teasing them and Toni pressed one more kiss to Cheryl’s cheek.

“You drive, okay? I’ll direct us to the nearest ice cream shop.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------

That night, Cheryl exited the bathroom in her pajamas, exhausted after an incredibly long day and what she found in the dim light of her bedroom was enough to make her heart burst out of her chest.

Toni was snuggled deep into the blankets and pillows of their bed, not an unusual sight. However, the children cuddled into her, eyes glued to the movie playing on the television was something that had been missing for too long.

Dagwood was holding his favorite blanket close, fidgeting with the corners as he always did but tried to hide from others. Juniper was content to lay still, as long as Toni’s fingers continued to stroke her back, gently.

Cheryl must have stared just a little too long because Toni whispered, “Babe, you okay?”

That got Dagwood’s attention and he, with his face so similar to Jason’s, sat up just a little, “Aunt Cherry? Are you going to cuddle too?”

Well, how could she possibly deny that?

“I’m coming, sweetheart. Let me just turn the lights off.”

Once the room was dark, only illuminated by the animated movie, Cheryl climbed into bed and leaned over Dagwood and Toni to kiss Juniper’s forehead.

Toni whispered, “Hey, what about me?”

Her cheeky smile was one of Cheryl’s favorites and she murmured, “I would never forget kisses for my wife. Come here.”

Toni tilted her chin up so her lips met Cheryl’s and the redhead pulled back to nuzzle her nose gently against Toni’s.

Dagwood groaned, “Kiki, your hair is in my face.”

The women laughed and got settled, Cheryl wrapping one arm around Dagwood so he could cuddle into her side, and the other reached over to tangle her fingers with Toni’s.

Juniper’s tiny hand wiggled its way into their hold and finally, _finally_, everything felt right. There were still court appearances and lawyers to deal with, paperwork to complete, drawers full of clothes to collect, nightmares to fight and an estranged mother who could reappear at any moment.

Yes, Cheryl’s family had a lot coming their way, but, for this moment and this night, they were together. They were safe. They were home.

With a few giggles from the children and one more wink from her wife, Cheryl Blossom closed her eyes.

This, this was home.


End file.
